


Softest Breaths

by HomuraBakura



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Sharing a Bed, cliché as fuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-04-23 14:27:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14334447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HomuraBakura/pseuds/HomuraBakura
Summary: Reiji and Yuya have both been working themselves into the ground lately, which is probably why neither of them realized the problem with the hotel they booked for the first Interdimensional Dueling Convention.





	Softest Breaths

He probably should have picked up on it right away, when they reached the desk and were met with a harried receptionist, the only man at the desk who was already on the phone when it started ringing again on another line.  He sent them a pleading sort of look, and Yuya flashed him a reassuring smile.

_ We can wait _ , he mouthed, and the young man’s face burst with relief as he looked back down at his computer to help the person on the line, hurrying to finish the call so that he could grab the other one.  There was a large crowd of people milling about the lobby of the fancy hotel— for real, Yuya had never even  _ seen _ a hotel this fancy.  There was a  _ chandelier _ up over their heads.  You’d think a place like this could handle hiring one or two more receptionists to handle this, especially just before a gigantic dueling convention.

Yuya hung back to wait.  Reiji was drumming his fingers against the handle of his suitcase, not out of impatience, but just a faint nervous energy.  The long drive had definitely worn on him, Yuya could tell. He’d been leaping from business trip to business trip for nearly two weeks, and now they were headed straight off to the first Interdimensional Dueling Convention, and he had the worst bags under his eyes.

“Make sure you sleep tonight,” Yuya said, nudging him.  “I’ll confiscate your laptop.”

“Your assistance will be unnecessary.  I don’t plan to look at a screen again until I absolutely have no other option,” Reiji said.

_ He’s working himself too hard _ , Yuya thought, sighing.  He wished there was something he could do to help, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to make heads or tails of anything Reiji had to work on.  He was doing some kind of presentation about Arc Vision technology at the convention, and it was one of the big draws for it. Something about how he was working to implement better safety measures.  Yuya didn’t get the technological stuff, but it was super important. He knew that better than most people, with the echo of Zarc still cluttering around in his mind at the worst times. Reiji was working himself nearly to death to make sure that an accident like what had driven Yuya’s original self mad could never happen again.

Either way, this convention was some pretty intense stuff, and pro or not, Zarc or not, Yuya was still a little surprised he was invited.  He was only half certain what exactly he was going to be expected to do there as a guest; the only convention he’d ever been to was an anime convention with Yuzu once, and he seemed to recall most guests there did panels and autographs and stuff.  This was a fancier sorta tech and business convention, though, so he was pretty sure he wasn’t doing that. He probably should have read the pamphlet they sent him.

Yuya touched him lightly on the elbow as Reiji began to fiddle with the end of his scarf instead.  Reiji’s lips quirked very slightly to acknowledge the touch, but he still looked tense and exhausted.

Before Yuya could come up with anything reassuring, the receptionist was finally off the phone, sighing heavily.

“Thank you so much for waiting,” he said.  “Are you here for a reservation?”

“Under Akaba,” Reiji said.  “Both reservations should be under that name.”

“One moment please...ah, yes, you’re all set up.”

The receptionist took Reiji’s credit card and ID, checked and scanned them both, and then handed them back with a set of room keys.

“You’re on floor five.  Thank you for staying with us.”

Reiji was too tired to do more than nod, and Yuya sent the receptionist a nod and a smile.  He hopped off to follow Reiji towards the elevator.

They rode upwards in a quiet silence.  Yuya leaned against the back of the elevator to look through the glass to the lobby below.  It was a  _ really _ expensive hotel.  

“Thanks for making the reservation,” Yuya said.  “I completely forgot.”

“We’ve all been busy,” Reiji said, running a hand down his face.  “It wasn’t any trouble. You’ve been helping out LDS a lot lately.”

Yuya just kind of shrugged.  He didn’t think appearing in a few exhibitions and appearing as a guest at a handful of classes counted as ‘helping a lot’, but the compliment kind of warmed him up a bit, so he took it.  

The elevator dinged softly, and Yuya held his arm out to keep the doors open while Reiji dragged himself sleepily through.  Yuya was absolutely forcing him to go right to sleep as soon as they found his room.

He looked down at the keys to check the numbers.  Oh, huh, this looked like they were for the same room.  Reiji must have just booked one double. Probably for the best, considering how full this place would be for the convention.

They found the door and Yuya slid the key in.  It opened with a soft beep, and Yuya swung his backpack against the door to hold it open for Reiji.  Reiji fumbled against the wall for the light, and as it came on, Yuya let the door fall closed. He nearly bumped into Reiji in the tiny hall, oofing.

“Hey, you gonna move, or are you gonna sleep right there?” he said lightly, laughing.

Reiji let out the heaviest, deepest sigh, followed by a very soft swear.  Yuya blinked. He peeked around Reiji.

Oh.  Ooooh.  This wasn’t a room with a double bed.

“I...can sleep on the couch?” Yuya said.

“You can’t fit on that couch, Yuya,” Reiji said.  He leaned against the wall, squeezing his temples with one hand.  “I’m sorry, Yuya, I must have made a mistake in booking. I can...call downstairs, see if they have another room.”

He sounded so exhausted, like he was just going to fall over.

“With the convention and the commotion downstairs?  I definitely doubt they’ll have anything not already booked,” Yuya said.  “Besides, you’re  _ tired _ .  You need to go to sleep.  I’ll sleep on the floor or something.”

“It’s my fault for the mistake, so I can sleep on the floor,” Reiji said, his voice tinging with that stubbornness that Yuya knew so well.

“Absolutely not.  You look like you’re about to collapse where you’re standing, you are  _ not _ trying to get a good night’s sleep on the floor.”

“You’re just as tired as I am,” Reiji said, sending him a look.  “You haven’t had a break from the circuit in over a month.”

He  _ was _ feeling pretty tired, actually, but he wasn’t about to let Reiji know that.  He folded his arms and pouted stubbornly at Reiji. Two of them could easily play this game.

“The longer we argue over this, the less sleep we’re  _ both _ getting,” Yuya said.  “So either I’m sleeping on the floor, or we’re sharing the damn bed.”

He didn’t actually realize he had added the last part until it was out of his lips and he saw the faint redness spreading over Reiji’s cheeks.  His own cheeks heated when Reiji ducked his face in the other direction so that Yuya couldn’t see it. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Reiji sighed, dropping his suitcase with a clunk to the floor.

“I’m too tired to argue,” he said.  “I suppose the only option is to share it or else we’ll be here arguing all night.”

“Sounds fine to me,” Yuya said, though his stubborn bravado kind of cracked in the middle and Reiji was still blushing when he edged past Yuya to get into the bathroom.

So, that was how Yuya found himself laying with his back to Reiji, as far to the edge as possible, and suddenly realizing there was no way he was going to get any sleep like this at all.

Reiji was laying very, very still on the other side, and Yuya wondered if he was just as tense as Yuya was.  Maybe Yuya would get a better night’s sleep on the floor in the end anyway. What if he tossed and turned in his sleep?  What if he snored? He didn’t think he snored, Yuzu definitely would have complained about it after their sleepovers if he had, but what if he suddenly started now?

“I’m...going to turn the light off,” Reiji said suddenly.  “Is that all right?”

“Yup!  Fine!” Yuya said, aware of how squeaky his voice came out.

Reiji hesitated for one moment.  Then Yuya felt the bed shift, and the light went out, and he couldn’t see a thing.

He laid there on his side, stiff and awkward, staring at nothing.  He felt like he shouldn’t move. He wasn’t even sure if he should breathe too deeply.  God, he hoped Reiji was tired enough to just fall right asleep, so that he wouldn’t be feeling as awkward as Yuya was, so that he could get some rest.  Yuya definitely wasn’t going to be able to sleep like this. He could feel his cheeks heating up the pillow. This was....the closest he had been to Reiji in a long time.

Somewhere on the edge of his frantic, constantly moving thoughts, he heard the softest breath.  Gentle, in and out, regular. Oh, Yuya thought. Is he...already asleep?

Yuya couldn’t move for a few more moments.  His eyes were adjusting to the dark, now and he could make out the wall.  He bit his lip. Reiji’s soft breaths continued, gentle, like a lullaby.

Carefully, carefully, he rolled himself over to his other side, trying to make sure he didn’t shift the blankets too much or move the bed around a lot.

_ Oh _ , he thought, as he turned his head towards Reiji.   _ He...he’s facing towards me. _

Reiji had gotten into bed facing Yuya, not with his back to him like Yuya had.  He was barely under the covers, even, as though he’d just kind of shoved himself into the bed and flopped there.

He really was already asleep, Yuya thought with a grimace.  And after all of the worrying that Yuya had been doing! He almost felt mad about it.  Didn’t Reiji feel the least bit awkward about this? At all? Yuya felt the blush creeping over his cheeks.  

Did he  _ want _ Reiji to feel awkward about it?

He nestled his head into his pillow, tucking his hands underneath it.  In the dark, it was hard to see details. But Reiji looked...well...peaceful.  His whole body had lost all of its tension for once, melting into the bed. 

It was weird to see him without his glasses.  His whole face relaxed in sleep, lips slightly parted.  Yuya felt the heat growing, and looked away from Reiji’s lips.

_ He has really dark eyelashes _ , Yuya thought.  Then he got even redder and turned his face into his pillow, burying it.  What was he  _ doing _ ??  This was so weird, watching Reiji sleep.  He just needed to fall asleep himself.

Reiji’s quiet, gentle breaths rustled against the pillowcase, and Yuya slowly turned his head towards him again.  Those rumpled covers were bothering him.

“Dummy,” he mumbled.  “You really were tired.”

He sat up as gently as he could, and carefully tugged the covers out from under Reiji and spreading them out, pulling them up to his shoulders.  Reiji’s breath hitched a little bit, but he didn’t stir. Satisfied, Yuya laid himself back down and tucked himself back under his half of the covers.  He knew he should close his eyes, but it was hard to look away from Reiji’s face. It just...relaxing, he thought with another blush. It was relaxing to see him so peaceful, to hear his steady breaths.

Yuya’s eyes started to droop.  He knew he was probably just a little too close; moving the covers back over Reiji had caused him to lay down closer to him once he’d finished.

He didn’t want to move, though.  He could hear Reiji’s breaths, gentle and soft, like the ocean waves going in and out.

“Good night, Reiji,” Yuya whispered, eyes fluttering shut.

He heard a soft, sleepy sigh.  He almost opened his eyes when he felt Reiji’s fingers brush against his, laying lightly side by side without grabbing hold, but he didn’t.  He simply smiled, and fell gently to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> listen i've never done the 'they have to share the bed' trope before and it had to be done eventually, i refuse to apologize


End file.
